Electrical Engineering (beng) in Cork Institute of Technology, Ireland

Electrical Engineering (beng) in Cork Institute of Technology

Course summary

Providing electrical power in a modern economy is about generation, distribution and usage in a safe, economic and sustainable way. Fossil fuel energy now combines with solar, wind and tidal energy to create “embedded” generation which needs a “smart grid” to automatically switch users and suppliers in and out while maintaining the quality of the supply. CIT’s Electrical Engineering course is designed to equip technologists for this environment.

The aim of Electrical Engineering is to generate, distribute and apply electrical energy safely and economically, and in a sustainable way for future generations to come. This includes the design of renewable generation distribution systems and combined heat and power systems for domestic, commercial, medical, leisure and industrial places of living and working.

Career

Graduates will have acquired both the knowledge and the competence to work in generation and distribution of electrical energy, in the control of automated production systems with particular emphasis on power drives and aspects of robotic control, in the maintenance of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and in embedded generation systems. Graduates will also have acquired the competence to work in the application and maintenance of renewable sources of electrical energy such as wind energy and fuel cells. Graduates can expect to find employment in the energy generation, transmission and grid control section of the market plus in the area of automation as utilised in modern processes.

Growth in the fields of Electrical Engineering has produced a variety of rewarding careers for technicians, associate engineers and professional engineers for both females and males. Besides the direct engineering careers, holders of Electrical Engineering Degrees also apply their knowledge to the marketing and technical support of specialised electrical, control and automation equipment.

At Bachelor Degree Level
The course educates and trains students for employment as electrical associate engineers in the design, planning and maintenance of large-scale industrial and commercial complexes, or as sales/marketing executives or technical support personnel with major suppliers of electrical, control and automation equipment. Besides the main topics of the course, students are prepared for the computing needs of modern industry through the use and application of computer aided drawing (CAD) and computer aided engineering (CAE) packages.

An applications orientated industry-related approach results in associate engineers capable of making an early contribution in the working environment across a wide range of employment positions.

Graduates can expect to find employment in the energy generation, transmission and grid control section of the market plus in the area of automation as utilised in modern processes.  Having acquired suitable work experience the graduates may expect to progress quickly to positions of responsibility where independent technical judgement will be exercised and will work with a significant level of autonomy. Salary scales are generally at the upper end in their field.